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Russia offers cut-price space station parts

Russia could transform itself from the weakest link in the International Space Station (ISS) project by providing cheap components to replace US ones that may be lost to NASA budget cuts.

Russia has held up construction of the ISS in the past due to financial difficulties. The station’s service module, in which the crew lives, was two years late. But the Russian space agency has now said that it could provide future parts for the station at a fraction of the cost of US components.

These could also provide room aboard the orbiting outpost to accommodate six crew members rather than just three, which would free-up astronauts to perform more on-board science experiments.

“In principle it’s a nice option,” says Benny Elmann-Larsen, who organises human physiological experiments aboard the ISS for the European Space Agency. “There probably will be a deal coming up in case the US has to cut back on modules.”

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A forecast budget overrun of &dollar;4.8 billion over the next four years means that NASA must reduce its plans for the ISS by &dollar;1 billion.

Back to basics

Elmann-Larsen says that construction is cheaper in Russia because of lower labour costs and because existing components can often be adapted for use in space.

Russian Aerospace Agency Director Yuri Koptev said that Russia could supply an additional Soyuz escape capsule, a backup cargo module, and other parts for the station.

Koptev claimed that Russia could make the parts up to 60 per cent cheaper than the US. “Building up the station without increasing the number of the crew means that no time is left for any scientific programs, because all the crew’s time is spent on maintaining the station,” Koptev said.